scholarly journals The Effect of Increasing Inclusion Levels of a Fucoidan-Rich Extract Derived from Ascophyllum nodosum on Growth Performance and Aspects of Intestinal Health of Pigs Post-Weaning

Marine Drugs ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 680
Author(s):  
Ruth Rattigan ◽  
Torres Sweeney ◽  
Stafford Vigors ◽  
Kevin Thornton ◽  
Gaurav Rajauria ◽  
...  

This study examines the effects of increasing dietary inclusion levels of fucoidan, from a 44% fucoidan extract on the growth performance and intestinal health of pigs post-weaning (PW). Seventy-two newly weaned pigs (8.4 kg (SD 1.06)) were assigned to: (T1) basal diet (BD); (T2) BD + 125 ppm fucoidan; (T3) BD + 250 ppm fucoidan (8 pens/treatment). The appropriate quantity of a 44% fucoidan extract was included to achieve these inclusion levels. Faecal scores were recorded daily. On d15 PW, samples were collected from the intestinal tract from 1 pig/pen from the BD and BD + 250 ppm fucoidan groups. Pigs supplemented with 250 ppm fucoidan had improved faecal scores and increased concentrations of total volatile fatty acids and propionate in the colon (p < 0.05). The fucoidan-rich extract reduced the expression of CLDN5 (duodenum), SCL5A1/SGLT1 and SI (jejunum) and TJP1, FABP2, and SLC5A1 (ileum) (p < 0.05). The extract reduced the relative abundance of Prevotella and Lachnospiraceae (p < 0.05) and increased the abundance of Helicobacter (p < 0.01) in the caecum. However, no negative impact on growth performance or small intestinal morphology was observed. Thus, the inclusion of 250 ppm fucoidan improves faecal consistency without affecting growth performance and therefore warrants further investigation as a supplement for the prevention of PW diarrhoea under more challenging commercial conditions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Wang ◽  
Sujie Liu ◽  
Jiayu Ma ◽  
Xiangshu Piao

Xylanase exerts key roles in improving growth performance and intestinal health of broilers fed wheat-based diets. However, knowledge is limited regarding effects of xylanase supplementation on ileal microbiota in broilers. A total of 128 one-day-old broilers (initial BW 48.03 ± 0.33 g) were selected to investigate effects of xylanase (AT-xynA) on growth performance, ileal morphology, microbiota composition, immune response, antioxidant capacity, and endocrine peptide levels in broilers. Broilers were randomly allotted into two dietary treatments (n = 8), namely, a wheat-soybean basal diet and a basal diet with 4,000 U/kg AT-xynA (XY). On days 7, 14, 21, and 42, broilers were weighted and ileal tissues were sampled. Ileal digesta samples were collected for analyzing microbiota composition on days 21 and 42. The results showed that AT-xynA could improve average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake, and there were interactions between diet and age of broilers (p &lt; 0.05). On days 21 and 42, xylanase supplementation decreased ileal microbiota α-diversity, and the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic microbiota, such as phylum Proteobacteria, family Moraxellaceae and Staphylococcaceae, genus Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus, increased the abundance of Lactobacillus (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, the reduction in acetate concentration and abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria was also observed in broilers from XY group (p &lt; 0.05). AT-xynA increased ileal villus height, glucagon-like peptide-1, and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations and decreased interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and malondialdehyde content in broilers, and these positive effects on intestinal health were greater in young broilers. In conclusion, xylanase supplementation to wheat-based diets could improve ileal intestinal morphology and immune function, and alleviate excess fermentation of bacteria, which may be related to changes of intestinal microbiota. In addition, the positive effects of xylanase on intestinal health were more pronounced in young broilers, thus contributing to subsequent improvement in growth performance of broilers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daixiu Yuan ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Dingfu Xiao ◽  
Jiefeng Li ◽  
Yanhong Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF), have been demonstrated to attenuate the inflammation and oxidative stress of piglets. This study was designed to test whether EUF could be as an antibiotic alternative to support growth performance and maintain intestinal health in weanling-piglets. Weaned-piglets (n = 480) were assigned into 3 groups and fed with a low-protein basal diet (NC), or supplementation with antibiotics (PC) or 0.1‰ EUF (EUF). Blood, intestinal contents and intestine were collected on d-15 and d-35, respectively. Results The results showed that the body weight on d-35, average daily gain and gain : feed from d 15 to d 35 and d 0 to d 35 in piglets of PC and EUF treatments were higher than (p < 0.05) these in NC treatment, whereas PC and EUF treatments decreased (p < 0.05) the diarrhea index of weanling piglets. Dietary supplementation of EUF significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) the serum concentrations of total protein, alanine transaminase and the immunoglobulin G on d-15 of piglets compared to piglets in NC treatment. EUF supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the jejunal and ileal villus height and the population of ileal lactic acid bacteria on d-15 but remarkable decreased (p < 0.05) the population of ileal coliform bacteria on d-15 and d-35. Conclusion These findings indicated the antibiotic alternative capacity of EUF in piglets exhibiting by improving growth performance and intestinal morphology, decreasing colonization of coliform bacteria and diarrhea index in weanling piglets.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinheng Zhang ◽  
Qiqi Zhao ◽  
Lijun Wen ◽  
Che Wu ◽  
Ziqi Yao ◽  
...  

The goal of the study was to test the effects of an antibiotic substitute, plectasin, on the growth performance, immune function, intestinal morphology and structure, intestinal microflora, ileal mucosal layer construction and tight junctions, ileal immune-related cytokines, and blood biochemical indices of yellow-feathered chickens. A total of 1,500 one-day-old yellow-feathered chicks were randomly divided into four dietary treatment groups with five replicates in each group and 75 yellow-feathered chicks in each replication, as follows: basal diet (group A); basal diet supplemented with 10 mg enramycin/kg of diet (group B), basal diet supplemented with 100 mg plectasin/kg of diet (group C), and basal diet supplemented with 200 mg plectasin/kg of diet (group D). It was found that the dietary antimicrobial peptide plectasin could improve the ADG and had better F/G for the overall period of 1–63 days. Dietary plectasin can enhance H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody levels of yellow-feathered chickens at 21, and 35 days of age. Dietary plectasin can enhance the intestine structure, inhibit Escherichia coli and proinflammatory cytokines in the ileum, and ameliorate the blood biochemical indices of yellow-feathered chickens at 21 days of age. This study indicates that the antimicrobial peptide plectasin has beneficial effects on the growth performance, intestinal health and immune function of yellow-feathered chickens.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1591
Author(s):  
Vitor Hugo C. Moita ◽  
Marcos Elias Duarte ◽  
Suelen Nunes da Silva ◽  
Sung Woo Kim

This study aimed to investigate the effects of functional oils on modulation of mucosa-associated microbiota, intestinal health, and growth performance of nursery pigs. Forty newly weaned pigs (20 barrows and 20 gilts) with 7.0 ± 0.5 kg body weight (BW) were housed individually and randomly allotted in a randomized complete block design with sex and initial BW as blocks. The dietary treatments were a basal diet with increasing levels (0.00, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.50 g/kg feed) of functional oils (a blend of castor oil and cashew nutshell liquid; Oligo Basics USA LLC, Cary, NC) fed to pigs for 34 days divided in two phases (P1 for 13 days and P2 for 21 days). Growth performance was analyzed weekly. On day 34, all pigs were euthanized to collect jejunal mucosa for analyzing the mucosa-associated microbiota and intestinal health, and ileal digesta for analyzing apparent ileal digestibility. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4. Supplementation of functional oils did not affect the overall growth performance. Increasing supplementation of functional oils reduced (p < 0.05) the relative abundance of Helicobacteraceae, whereas it increased (p < 0.05) Lactobacillus kitasatonis. Supplementation of functional oils tended (p = 0.064) to decrease protein carbonyl and increase the villus height (p = 0.098) and crypt depth (p = 0.070). In conclusion, supplementation of functional oils enhanced intestinal health of nursery pigs by increasing beneficial and reducing harmful bacteria, potentially reducing oxidative stress and enhancing intestinal morphology, without affecting overall growth performance of pigs. Supplementation of functional oils at 0.75–1.50 g/kg feed was the most beneficial to the jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota and intestinal integrity of nursery pigs.


AMB Express ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Deng ◽  
Jie Wu ◽  
Xiaohui Li ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
Xiaoming Men ◽  
...  

AbstractThe present study was conducted to investigate effects of Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, serum parameters, digestive enzymes, intestinal morphology, and colonic microbiota in piglets. A total of 72 piglets were weighed and randomly allotted into three treatments (four replication pens per treatment with six piglets/pen) for a 28-day experiment. The dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet (control group, CTR), basal diet supplementation with antibiotic (antibiotic group, ABT), and basal diet supplementation with 0.1% Bacillus subtilis (probiotic group, PBT). The average daily gain of body weight increased in both the ABT and PBT groups, and dietary antibiotics decreased the feed:gain ratio (F:G), as compared to the CTR group (P < 0.05). Both ABT and PBT piglets had increased serum triglycerides and lipase, amylase, maltase activities and villus height:crypt depth ratio (V/C) in ileum (P < 0.05). The PBT group also showed an increase in serum glucose and villus height in the ileum (P < 0.05). Dietary antibiotics increased Lactobacillus johnsonii, as compared to the CTR group, but decreased bacterial diversity and increased Escherichia coli, as compared to the PBT group (P < 0.05). Piglets dietary with B. subtilis modulated the microbiota by increasing the abundance of Firmicutes (L. johnsonii, L. reuteri) and decreasing the abundance of E. coli, as compared to the control group (P < 0.05). These results indicate that dietary of B. subtilis improves growth performance and intestinal health and can be a promising alternative to antibiotics in piglets diet.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 201-201
Author(s):  
Sudario Roberto Silva Junior ◽  
Rhuan F Chaves ◽  
Maíra Resende ◽  
Ygor Henrique De Paula ◽  
Kenio De Gouvêa Cabral ◽  
...  

Abstract Antibiotics growth promoting (AGP) in animal feed has been restricted. With this, several additives have been tested in order to replace AGP and ensure intestinal health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a blend of additives on growth performance, diarrhea incidence and cecal content microbiota of nursery pigs. A total of 576 weaned pigs (6.21 ± 1.16 kg) were assigned into 4 treatments (12 replicates) in randomized block design: basal diet without additives (NC); basal diet with 120 ppm of halquinol (PC); NC + 0,05% blend of lactic acid (3,5%), benzoic acid (2,5%), flavonoids (3,5%) (B5); NC+ 0,1% of same blend (B10). The pigs were weighed 0 and 42 days into the experiment. On day 10, one animal per pen (10 replicates) was euthanized for microbiota analyses. The diarrhea incidence was calculated by the percentage of visual pens with diarrhea, by day, in the period. The growth performance was analyzed by GLIMMIX procedure and the means were compared with Tukey test (P &lt; 0.050) (SAS, 2009). Diarrhea incidence was analyzed by GENMOD procedure (SAS, 2009). The Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare microbial biodiversity (P &lt; 0.050) by statistical program STAMP. The final weight (P = 0.010) and average daily gain (P = 0.001) of B10 and PC were higher than NC. Regarding diarrhea, it was observed that the B5 and B10 had lower incidence when compared to other groups in the total period. In the microbiome analyses, it was observed that the B5, B10, and PC groups had lower (P = 0.021) biodiversity when compared to the NC piglets. However, the B5 and B10 group had higher biodiversity when compared to the PC group. In conclusion, the supplementation with 0,1% blend of additives can be a substitute for AGP.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Xinfu Zeng ◽  
Qing Li ◽  
Caimei Yang ◽  
Yang Yu ◽  
Zixian Fu ◽  
...  

We aimed to investigate the effects of Clostridium butyricum-, Bacillus subtilis-, and Bacillus licheniformis-based potential probiotics on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune responses, and caecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbial structure in broiler chickens. Three treatment groups containing a total of 1200 one-day-old AA broilers were included: birds fed with a basal diet only (Con), birds fed with added 1010 probiotics cfu/kg (ProL), and birds fed with added 1011 probiotics cfu/kg (ProH). The dietary probiotics significantly improved the final and average body weights and serum immunoglobulins A, M, and Y. The probiotics also enhanced the ileal morphology and improved the caecal acetate, butyrate, and propionate contents. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that dietary compound probiotics modulated the caecal microflora composition as follows: (1) all birds shared 2794 observed taxonomic units; (2) treatment groups were well separated in the PCA and PCoA analysis; (3) the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Barnesiella, Odoribacter, [Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group], [Ruminococcus]_torques_group, and Butyricimonas significantly varied between treatments. The compound probiotics improved the growth performance, serum immune responses, the ratio of ileal villus height to crypt depth, and major caecal SCFAs in broiler chickens. The dietary C. butyricum-, B. subtilis-, and B. licheniformis-based probiotics improved overall broiler health and would benefit the poultry industry.


Author(s):  
Yuxia Chen ◽  
Yining Xie ◽  
Ruqing Zhong ◽  
Hui Han ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) supplementation on growth performance, serum parameters, small intestinal morphology, intestinal mucosal integrity, and immune function in weaned piglets. A total of 240 weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 8.82 ± 0.05 kg (28 d of age) were assigned randomly to 4 dietary treatments in a 28-d trial, including a control diet (CON), 3 diets with XOS supplementation at the concentration of 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg (XOS100, XOS500, and XOS1000). There were 4 replicates per treatment with 15 pigs per pen. From d 1 to 14, there were no differences (P &gt; 0.05) in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio (G:F) during the different treatments. The different doses of XOS showed a quadratic effect on BW on d 28, ADG and G:F d 1-28 of piglets (P &lt; 0.05). From d 15 to 28, ADG of pigs fed the XOS500 diet was higher (P &lt; 0.05) than pigs fed the CON diet. During the overall period (d 1 to 28), pigs fed the XOS500 diet had a higher BW, ADG and G:F than pigs fed the CON diet (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, compared with the CON group, the XOS500 group had significantly higher serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels on d 14 and 28 (P &lt; 0.05). The serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in the XOS500 group was also significantly higher compared with the CON group on d 14 and 28 (P &lt;0.05). However, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) were not affected by the dietary treatments. Supplementation of XOS500 to the feed significantly increased the villus height (VH) and villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD) in the jejunum and ileum in comparison with the CON and XOS1000 group. Moreover, the XOS500 group significantly elevated the expression levels of Occludin and zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1) in the ileum compared to the CON group. The ileal interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8 and interferon (IFN)-γ mRNA expression levels in the XOS100 and XOS500 group were markedly lower than in the CON group. In contrast, the ileal IL-10 mRNA expression levels were remarkably higher in the XOS500 than CON group. In conclusion, xylo-oligosaccharides have a beneficial effect on growth performance by improving serum antioxidant defense system, serum IgG, small intestinal structure and intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 7844-7854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kangli Wang ◽  
Guangtian Cao ◽  
Haoran Zhang ◽  
Qing Li ◽  
Caimei Yang

We investigated the effects of Clostridium butyricum and Enterococcus faecalis (probiotics) in a piglet model.


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Xu ◽  
Long Che ◽  
Kaiguo Gao ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Xuefen Yang ◽  
...  

Birth is one of the most important events of animal production agriculture, as newborns are abruptly forced to adapt to environmental and nutritional disruptions that can lead to oxidative damage and delay in growth. Taurine (Tau) is an important regulator of oxidative stress and possesses growth-enhancing properties. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dietary Tau supplementation in gilts during late gestation and lactation on the growth performance of piglets by assessing intestinal morphology and barrier function, and oxidative stress status. Sixteen gilts were randomly allocated to the Con (basal diet) and Tau (basal diet with 1% Tau) groups from 75 d of gestation to weaning. Maternal dietary Tau supplementation significantly increased weaning weight and average daily gain weight in piglets. Piglets in the Tau group had higher villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (VCR), ZO-1 protein expression, and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) content in the jejunum. Meanwhile, Tau bebeficial affected the milk quality of gilts, as indicated by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and increased total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidative capability (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity. Furthermore, Tau supplementation increased T-SOD activity in plasma and SOD2 protein expression in the jejunum in the piglets. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that dietary Tau supplementation to gilts improves growth performance in piglets, owing to improved intestinal morphology and barrier function, as well as inhibition of oxidative stress.


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